Vehicle direction signal



Jan. 8, 1935.

F. c. SVOBODA 1,987,086 VEHICLE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed April 15, 19:50

2 Sheets-Sheet l y I w e 7 M I4. .10 gar-=5 n a f lllllllllril 1| INVENTOR.

Ibo/w, 6T 51/050424 BY 4 Jan. 8, 1935. F. c. SVOBODA 1,987,086

VEHICLE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed April 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. fie a/v/r 67 Svosom A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE DIRECTTON SIGNAL Frank C. Svoboda, San Diego, Calif. Application April 15, 1930, Serial No. 444,452

Claims. (Cl. 1773 3'7) My invention relates to vehicle direction sig- Fig. 6 is a plan view of the automatic switch mechnals', and the objects of my invention are: anism with the cover plate removed and showing First, to provide a vehicle signal which is paressential adjacent portions of the vehicle; Fig. 7 ticularly easy to operate; is an enlarged sectional view thereof through 5; Second, to provide an improved electrically 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is another sectional view 5 driven signal of the semaphore type in which a thereof through 88 of Fig. 6; and Fig. .9 is a switch is provided for each desired position of the wiring diagram of the signal and the control apsignal arm, said switches controlling circuits paratus. through the driving mechanism for operating Similarcharacters of reference refer to similar 10 ;said arm, said circuits also controlled by said sigparts and portions throughout the several views 10 nal arm, whereby the driver does not have to of the drawings. watch the signal arm, but may rely upon said Gear casing 1, worm gear 2, worm 3, motor 4. signal arm to break the circuit when it reaches worm gear shaft 5, signal arm supporting yoke 6, the desired position, thereby enabling the driver outer shield 7, inner shield 8, contact support 9, to keep his eyes upon trafli'c; left turn contact member 10, right turn contact 15 Third, to provide a vehicle direction signal member 11, insulation disks 12, light circuit conwhi'ch, should the driver make a mistake and tact 13, contacting strip 14, wire to lights 15, sigsignify a turn which he does not desire to make, nal arm 16, light sockets 17, light globes 18, clutch he may readily and quickly change the position of collar 19, releasing lever 20, fulcrum member 21, 2 the signal arm so as to indicate the desired turn spring 22, magnet coil 23, signal arm returning and avoid confusion; spring 24, return switch casing 25, cover 26, op- Fourth, to provide an automatically operated crating lever 27, adjusting link 28, clamp memswitch and release mechanism actuated thereby ber 29, contact arm 30, fixed contact member 31, for use in connection with a signal of this class insulation 32, left turn switch 33, right turn which releases the signal arm and allows the switch 34, auxiliary signal arm return switch 35, 25 same to return to its normal or concealed 'posithermostat switch 36, housing 37, and bumper tion, said switch being automatically operated means 38 constitute the principal parts and porwhen the wheels of a vehicle are straightened out tions of my novel vehicle directional signal. after a turn is made; and .A gear casing 1 is supported by any suitable Fifth, to provide on the whole a novelly con means, not shown, preferably on the drivers side, 30 structed vehicle direction signal which is simple forwardly of the drivers'door and below his line of construction proportional to its functions, durof vision. Within the gear casing is a worm gear able, efficient and rapidof operation, and which 2-mounted with its axis extending longitudinally will not readily deteriorateor get out of order. with the car. Above the worm gear 2, is a worm With these and other objects in view as will 3, having a shaft 3a which extends out of the appear hereinafter, my invention consists of cercasing 1, and is connected in any suitable mantain novel features of construction, combination ner to a small electric motor 4 mounted contiguand arrangement of parts and portions as will be ous to the casing, preferably between the casing hereinafter described in detail and particularly and the body of the vehicle, as shown by dotted 0 set forth in the appended claims, reference being outline in Fig. 1. 40 had to the accompanying drawings and to the The worm gear 2 is provided with a worm gear characters of reference thereon, which form a shaft 5, which projects forwardly and rearwardly part of this application, in which: of the casing 1 through suitable packing glands in. Figure 1 is a reduced front elevational view of At the ends of the shaft 5 are journalled the arms 5 my signal mechanism, with adjacent portions of 6a and 6b of the signal arm supporting yoke 6, a. vehicle shown by outline; Fig. 2 is an enlarged which extends around the margin of the casing 1. fragmentary sectional view thereof, through 2--2 The arm 6a of the yoke 6 is provided with a bearof Fig. 1, with the outer casing removed and with ing portion 6c which fits in the end ofthe shaft 5. parts and portions shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a Surrounding the bearing portion 60, at the ex- 60 fragmentary plan view thereof from the line 33 tended end of the shaft 5, is an annular base porof Fig. 2, with the outer casing removed; Fig. 4'is tion 6d. a fragmentary sectional view through 4-4 of The as portion 6d of the a is defined y Fig. 2, with parts and portio'ns in elevation; Fig. 5 aoylindrical shield 7, which extendsfrom the base isa fragmentary elevational view taken from the member towards' the casing 1 in concentric rela- 6 a line 5-'5 cringe, with tl'ie'outer casing removed; tion to the bearing'portion '80. .A cylin- '55 drical shield 8 is secured to the adjacent face of the casing 1 and extends in telescoping relation with the shield member 7.

The shield 8. extends vwithin the shield '7 and has secured therein a contacting support 9. Se- ;cured by one of their ends to the contact support 9. is 'a left turn contact member 10, and a right turn contact member 11. The other or extended ends 10a and 11a, respectively, of these contact members are adapted to follow a common arcuate path. In this path, is an arcuate ridge 6e extending from the base 602, which is adapted to be engaged by the contacting ends 10a and 11a of the contact members. The base 6d is covered except for the arcuate ridge 6e with insulating disk 12, the exposed surface of which is flush with said ridge. It is preferred to have the casing 1 andconse quently the yoke 6 grounded to the frame of the vehicle. The contact members 10 and 11 are thus adapted to ground a circuit, which will be described hereinafter in more detail, through the motor 4.

When the contact members reach the end of the arcuate strip 62, they break the circuit; thus the signal arm is caused to rotate by the motor until the contact member carrying the current passes the end of the arcuate ridge 6e, whereupon the circuit is broken. As one contact trails the other, the signal arm may be shifted to a horizontal or to an upwardly inclined position.

In addition to the contact members 10 and 11', a third contact member, not shown, may be provided, which Would also ride on the arcuate strip 6e. This latter contact member would serve to stop the signal arm when pointing downwardly or in position for indicating the Stop sign. Such a contact is mere duplication of the structure already shown. Also mounted on the contact support 9, is a contact 13 which operates electric lights in connection with the signal arm. The

extended end 13a. of this contact rides on the I insulation disk 12, in a path offset from that of the contact ends 10a and 11a of the contact members 10 and 11. This is shown best in Fig. 4.

Embedded in the insulating disk 12, but separated from contact with the base member 6d, is an arcuate contacting strip 14. This contacting strip is adapted to be engaged by the contact 13 when the signal arm is in certain positions. The

contact strip 14 is provided with an offset arm 14a, which is clearof the several contacts 10, 11,

and 13, and which is secured to one end of a wire 15, which leads to the electric lights for illuminating the signal arm.

The signal arm 16 is supported by the yoke 6 midway between the arms 6a and 612. When in its normal position, the signal arm hangs vertically as shown by dotted outline in Fig. 1. The signal arm 16 may have any'suitable outline. At the front and rear sides of the signal arm 16, the yoke 6 is provided'with reflector portions 61 in which are mounted light sockets 17 adapted to receive electric light globes 18 of the conventional one contact type used in connection with vehicles. The wire 15 leads from the arcuate strip 14 to the terminal of each light socket 17.

. Between the end of the shaft journalled in the end of the arm 16 of the yoke and adjacent the packing gland 1a, said shaft is provided with a polygonal shaped portion 5a, upon which is slidably mounted a driving collar 19. The collar 19 is provided with a tooth 19a in the outer side thereof, which is adapted to. engage a corresponding tooth 69 supported on the inner side and at the items;

extended end of the am 612, as shown best in Fig. 2.

The collar 19 is provided with an annular groove 1% therein, which receives the forked end 20a of a lever 20. The lever 20 extends from the collar 19 and towards the side of the casing 1 at which the motor 4 is mounted. Adjacent this side of the casing 1, said lever is journalled upon a pin which is supported by a fulcrum member 21 in the form of a suitable fitting extending out from the casing 1. The lever 20 may be stamped from sheet metal so as to be of U-shaped cross section and provide space for a spring 22, which is wrapped around the pin, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Said spring is adapted to yieldably hold thecollar 19 against the inner side of the arm 61). -It will be noted that the joint between the collar 19 and the forked portion 20a of the lever is loose enough to permit the desired sliding movement of the collar.

Mounted at the rear side of the casing 1, towards which the lever 20 extends, is a magnet coil 23. The axis of the coil 23 extends parallel with the shaft 5, and is arranged so that its oper-' ating end faces the side ofthe casing opposite lever 20 continues past the fulcrum member 21 and forms an arm 20?) which extends around the magnet coil 23 and over the operating end thereof. The extended end of the lever 20 contiguous to the operating ends of the magnet coil 23, forms a bar 200, which is adapted to be attracted by the core of said coil. This movement, it will be seen, releases the tooth 19a from the tooth 6g.

Wound around the one end of the axle of the shaft 5, in spaced relation thereto, is a spring 24,

the one end of which is secured to the casing 1,

and the other end of which is secured to the yoke 6. This spring tends to shift the signal arm to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1. I

The magnet coil 23 is operated by the automatic switch mechanism shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. This mechanism comprises a casing 25 preferably supported by the U-bolt A which secures one of the front springs B to the front axle C. The casing 25 extends rearwardly of the front axle.

The casing 25 is substantially the shape of a sector, and is provided with a suitable cover 26. Supported at the apex of the casing 25, and extending through the cover 26 is a journal portion 27a of an operating rod 27. After extending above the cover 26 of the casing, said rod is bent I at right angles and extends rearwardly from I the axle G into overlapping relation with the tie rod D.

Pivotally secured to the extended ends of the operating lever 2'7 is an adjusting link 28, which is adjustably secured at its other end to a clamp member 29 adapted to fit around the tie rod D, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. Although the position of the tie rod D relative to the front axle varies with different cars, it is thus possible without change in the arm 27 to secure the switch mechanism to any make of vehicle.

Secured to the journal portion 27a of the arm 27, within the casing 25, is a contact arm 30, which is in the form of a fiat spring adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane. The contact arm extends into contiguous relation with the arcuate side of the casing 25. Supported adjacent this, substantially arcuate side, is a fixed contact member 31. The contact member 31 is preferably made of sheet metal and comprises a base portion 31a secured to but separated from the base: of the casing 25 by insulation 32. The side of '25 from the lever 20. The extended end of the.'.

said base portion adjacent the arcuate end of the casing is bent upwardly in two places, then doubled over itself forming a pair of contact plates 31b. The contact plates 31b converge downwardly as shown best in Fig. '7. The insulation follows the upwardly extending portions of the base 311: and extends over the upper sides of the contact plates forming insulating shield portions 32a. The extended end a of the contact arm 30 is reduced in size and, when the wheels of the vehicle are pointing ahead so as to guide the vehicle in a straight course, said extended end 30a is located midway between the contact plates 31b.

When the wheels of the vehicle are turned in either direction, the end of the contact arm rides upon one of the insulating shields 32a, and is deflected upwardly until it passes over the contact plate 31b.

When the wheels are again straightened out, the contact arm swings back, this time the end 30a thereof engaging the under or exposed side of the contact plate 3113, making a momentary contact therewith. The end 30a rides down the under side of the contact plate 311), until past the lower end thereof, whereupon it shifts upwardly between the two contact plates. The course of the end 30a is indicated by dotted lines and arrows in Fig. 7.

The fixed contact member 31 is connected through a terminal 310 with the magnet coil 23, while the contact arm 30 is grounded.

With reference to the diagrammatical view of Fig. 9, it can be seen that one terminal of the magnet coil is connected directly to the battery, while the other terminal thereof is connected to fixed contact member 31.

The one lead of the motor 4 is connected to the vehicle battery E, while the other lead thereof is connected through switches 33 and 34, to the contact members 10 and 11, respectively, and through these contact members, to the ground. Likewise, the terminal 13 is connected through the switch designated light SW which controls lights of the vehicle to the battery E, while the contact strip 14 is connected to the lights 18 which illuminate the signal arm 16.

An auxiliary, manually operated switch 35 may be arranged in parallel with the automatic switch mechanism. This auxiliary switch 35 is preferably located adjacent to the switches 33 and 34.

A thermostat switch 36 may be located in the line between the switches controlling the magnet coil 23. This is for the purpose of breaking the circuit through the coil 23 should the wheels of the vehicle hold the contact arm 30 in engagement with one of the contact plates 31b as when the vehicle is parked.

The signal arm and its operating mechanism is preferably enclosed in a suitable housing 37 as shown in Fig. 1. Bumper means 38 is preferably provided in the housing 37 for the purpose of absorbing the shock when the signal arm moves to its lowered position.

Operation of the signal is as follows: When desiring to make a left hand turn, the switch 33 is depressed, completing a circuit through the motor and contact 10. This causes rotation of the shaft 5 until the tooth 19a of the collar 19 engages the corresponding tooth 6g of the yoke 6, whereupon the signal arm is rotated to a horizontal position. At this point the contact 10 moves clear of the grounding contact ridge 6e, whereupon the circuit is broken and the arm remains in position by reason of the worm drive between the motor 4 a d shaft As vehicle mak s the u th contact a m 30 moves across the insulated side of one of the contact plates 311). When the wheels are strai h ened out again, the contact arm moves across the exposed side of the contact plate 31b and makes a momentary completion of the circuit through the magnet coil 23, causing the tooth 19a to disengage the tooth 6g, and allow the signal arm 16 by reason of gravity and the action of the spring 24, to shift to its lowered or normal position. The same is true when making a right-hand turn except that the circuit is through switch 35 and contact 11, instead of switch 34 and contact 10.

If a mistake should be made in the signalling, as, for example, a left-hand turn is desired instead of a right-hand turn, as soon as the error is discovered the hand switch 35 may be operated so as to ground the magnet coil 23 and complete the circuit therethrough, whereupon the signal arm resumes its normal position ready to be shifted again, this time to its correct position.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not Wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and a arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vehicle direction signal, a driving mechanism including a rotatable driving shaft, a casing for said driving mechanism, the ends of said shaft protruding from said casing, a signal arm including a yoke portion journaled upon said driving shaft and straddling said casing, a clutch arranged to connect said yoke portion with said shaft, means normally retaining said signal arm in an inoperative position, said driving mechanism arranged to shift said signal arm against the action of said retaining means, and means for releasing said clutch whereby said signal arm is free to return to its inoperative position.

2. In a vehicle direction signal, an electrically controlled driving mechanism including a rotatable driving shaft, a casing for said driving mechanism, the ends of said driving shaft protruding from said casing, a yoke member arranged to journal upon the ends of said driving shaft, a clutch means associated with one fork of said yoke member for connecting said yoke member to said shaft, and a switch structure for limiting the extent of movement of said yoke member by action of said driving mechanism, said switch structure including a portion carried by the other fork of said yoke member and movable therewith and a fixed portion carried by said casing and a signal arm carried by said yoke member.

3. In a vehicle direction signal, an electrically controlled driving mechanism including a rotatable driving shaft, a casing for said driving mechanism, the ends of said driving shaft protruding from said casing, a yoke member arranged to journal upon the ends of said driving shaft, a clutch means associated with one fork of said yoke member for connecting said yoke member to said shaft, a multiple switch structure associated with the other fork of said yoke member, said switch structure including contacts supported from said casing, contact bars supported 4. In a vehicle directi'onsignal, an electricallycontrolled driving mechanism including a rotatable driving shaft, a casing for said driving mechanism, the ends of said driving shaft protruding from said casing, a yoke member arranged to journal upon the ends of said driving shaft, a clutch means associated with one fork of said yoke member for connecting said yoke member to said shaft, a switch structure for limiting the extent of movement of said yoke member by action of said driving mechanism said switch structure including a portion carried by the other fork of said yoke member and movable therewith and a fixed portion carried by said casing, a signal arm carried by said yoke member, and automatic releasing means for said clutch.

5. In a vehicle direction signal, an electrically controlled driving mechanism including a rotatable driving shaft, a casing for said driving mechanism, theends of said driving shaft protruding from said casing, a yoke member arranged to journal upon the ends of said driving shaft, a clutch means associated with one fork of said yoke member for connecting said yoke member to said shaft, a multiple switch structure associated with the other fork of said yoke member, said switch structure including contacts supported from said casing, contact bars supported from said other fork of said yoke memberarranged to enact with said contacts and complete a circuit through said driving mechanism, said contacts arranged to disengage said contact bars when said yoke member occupies predetermined positions, a signal arm carried by said yoke member and automatic releasing means for said clutch.

FRANK C. SVOBODA. 

